Lid assembly with ring to control flow

Abstract

A lid assembly for a beverage container is described. The lid assembly includes an outer ring, a spout, and a base member. The outer ring is rotated by the user to drive the spout toward the base member. The movement of the spout opens and closes openings or fluidic passages of the lid assembly.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A lid assembly for a beverage container configured to achieve an open position to permit a user to drink liquid therethrough and achieve a closed position that generally limits the liquid passage therethrough, the lid assembly comprising:
 a spout having a mouth portion and a lower circular end positioned generally opposite the mouth portion, wherein the mouth portion is configured to receive the user's lips, and the spout having a threaded engagement section; 
 a base member having a bottom surface, a base side wall, and flanges, wherein the bottom surface, the base side wall, and the flanges define openings that permit passage of liquid when the lid assembly is in the open position and wherein the lower circular end of the spout meets with the bottom surface to block the passage of liquid through the openings when the lid assembly is in the closed position, and the base member has a threaded engagement section to receive the threaded engagement section of the spout, and the base member configured to engage to a beverage container; 
 an outer ring removably engaged to the spout, the outer ring configured to permit the user to maneuver the spout and the base member relative to each other to achieve the open position and the closed position, such that the user does not have to directly touch the spout to achieve the open position or the closed position, which decreases contamination of the mouth portion of the spout; and, 
 the spout includes an internal cylindrical surface and an external cylindrical surface, the external cylindrical surface includes a groove configured to hold a seal and position the seal generally against an internal surface of the base side wall when the spout moves to transition between the open position and the closed position, thereby minimizing the liquid that can pass between the base member and the spout. 
 
     
     
       2. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the openings are sized and shaped to generally block the passage of relatively chunky additives therethrough, even when the lid assembly is in the open position. 
     
     
       3. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the spout is removably engaged to the base member. 
     
     
       4. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a rotation of the outer ring and the spout relative to the base member locks the outer ring and the spout to the base member. 
     
     
       5. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the base member receives the spout by a rotational motion. 
     
     
       6. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the seal of the spout is selected from an angular seal, a radial seal, or double lip seal. 
     
     
       7. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the seal includes an extending fin and a base fin, the fins configured to define a fin space, wherein the fin space is increased when air pressure builds up in container space thereby pushing the extending fin against an internal surface of the base side wall and further closing any gap between the internal surface of the base side wall and that extending fin. 
     
     
       8. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the lid assembly includes a gasket generally positioned in or above the bottom surface such that the gasket improves the blocking function of interaction between the lower circular end of the spout and the bottom surface when the lid assembly is in the closed position. 
     
     
       9. The lid assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the gasket is generally mushroom shaped. 
     
     
       10. The lid assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the gasket is generally disc shaped and positioned generally around a top perimeter of the bottom surface. 
     
     
       11. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the outer ring includes one or more engaging members configured to fit into a complementary receiving member on the spout, thereby forming a removable connection between the outer ring and the spout such that maneuvering the outer ring affects the position of the spout. 
     
     
       12. The lid assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the base member includes one or more base receiving members configured to receive the one or more engaging members of the outer ring. 
     
     
       13. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the spout has a partial covering including covering openings, such partial covering configured to further slow the flow of liquid to the user and positioned generally below or otherwise near the mouth portion of the spout. 
     
     
       14. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes an inner member and an outer member. 
     
     
       15. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the openings are positioned around a bottom surface of the base member, thereby permitting the user to drink from anywhere on the mouth portion. 
     
     
       16. The lid assembly according to  claim 1 , together with the beverage container. 
     
     
       17. A lid assembly for a beverage container, comprising:
 a base member, the base member forming a bore with an internal bore surface, a flange positioned in a lower portion of the bore, a beverage opening formed between the bore and the flange, the base member forming a first protruding edge, and the first protruding edge having a first opening that forms a first receiving member; 
 an outer ring to rotatably engage with the base member, the outer ring forming an engaging member; 
 a spout to rotatably engage with the base member, the spout comprising a mouth portion, an external cylindrical surface, and a lower circular end opposite of the mouth portion, the spout forming a second protruding edge, and the second protruding edge having a second opening that forms a second receiving member, a seal extending from the external cylindrical surface to seal against the internal bore surface of the base member; 
 the engaging member of the outer ring passes through the second receiving member of the spout and engages with the first receiving member of the base member; and, 
 the outer ring to rotate the spout relative to the base member to move the lower circular end towards and away from the beverage opening.